Every day we make decisions and choices that affect the trajectory of our life and our long-term health. Of the THPL Life, Learning and Fitness themes, our life theme is quite broad but when we focus it on how we eat a lot of good things can happen. One consideration is to increase the “plants” that we consume – there are many reasons that this is a good direction to go. In general this change leads to a diet that’s richer in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, and heart-healthy fats; all of which are helpful in reducing long-term risk for developing a wide range of chronic diseases. For sure, though, you don’t need to become a vegetarian or vegan – this is more of a dietary shift with an emphasis on eating more vegetables and fewer meats.. A dietary shift like this can also be effective for minimizing weight gain. A suggestion is to aim to consume at least five different, preferably colorful, fruits and/or vegetables each day. I bet you will enjoy it and I am confident that you will feel better and be stronger for doing it.